Method and device for producing plates for artificial teeth



M. RICE.

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING PLATES FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 9. 1919.

1,343,935, Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

k C1 Hoznup M. RICE.

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING PLATES FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETH.

APPLICATION HLED (JCT. 9. 1919.

1,343,935. Patented June 22, 1920.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a nvemto'z 1 Mzezm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HEBRITT RICE, OF COLCHESTER, ILLINOIS.

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING PLATES FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERRITT RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colchester, in the county of McDonough' and State of Illinois, have invented a new and .wax or plaster cast ordinarily used is imperfect and the plates made-therefrom are not the exact likeness of the patients gums, consequently the do not fit accurately and are uncomfortab e.

With the above in mind, it is the principal object of the invention to enable the patient to fully control these muscles, therey obtaining a perfect imipression or him so thata true plate or plates may be made therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to roduce accurately fitting plates for ar t1- Ecial teeth through the medium of trial plates or dies substantially the same size and shape of the patients gum, upon one face of which is disposed a wax or plaster bite in which the impression of the gum is obtained, and upon the opposite face of which teethv project that mate with and contact wlth the teeth. 0 posite the-gum being fitted; in the case 0 both gums being fitted a pair of these dies are used one for each gum, the teeth of which abut when the mouth is firmly closed'thereby producing an accurate impression in the bites.

Another objectof the invention is to institlite a method'and device for producing plates for artificial teeth wherein the wax model of the patients gum will not disturb or distort the shape of the denture upon removing the model from the denture.

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of a method and device of the above character which is simple to perform, is labor saving, and which will render the finished plates accurate and comfortable.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1920.

Application filed October 9, 1919. Serial No. 329,581.

With the above objects in view the invention consists of the various steps as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1. is a plan view of the die having the blank lastic bite in position therein, part of the ite being broken out;

Fig. 2. is an elevation illustrating the die in the persons mouth, the upper row of teeth being patients natural teeth which coincide with the teeth carried by the die; Fig. 3. is a transverse sectional view of the die after impression has been formed in th; plastic bite in the latter shown in ig. 4. is made from the die after the impression or bite has been obtained;

Fig. 5. is a bottom plan View of the die, parts being broken away to illustrate the matrix or wax bite;

Fig. 6. is a view. illustrating a pair of dies, one for each gum;

Fig. 7 is a view of the die for the lower gum, partly in section, partly in elevation, 1n poslton on the denture;

Fig. 8. is a side elevation of the denture.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a plate or die 5 having its inner face concaved or recessed as indicated at 6 and projecting from the opposite face thereof is a set of artificial teeth 7 A pliable wire or other reinforcing element- 8 extends longitudinally within the plate 5. This plate is v formed from a soft pliable substance such as wax or the like so that the plate may be readily adjusted to the persons gum bending the same to the proper degree. number of these lates constitute a set, each plate being of a ifl'erent size.

A wax body or bite 9 is arrange'din the recess 7 and extends the len h of the plate, this bite or matrix being so er than the die or plate or the plate bein slightly harder than the bite or matrix. fter the impression is made in the bite and a model or denture made therefrom it is removed so that the plate or die may be used again.

The method is reduced to practice in the following manner:

First, the blank wax body is placed in the recess in the plate and the plates placed in the patients mouth with the blank bodycarried by the plate are disposed in mating ing relation, and the relation to the natural teeth third,--the-patient now closes the mouth bringingi.i;the-

teeth on the plate and the natural teeth wax bite is removed from the gum the denture made therefrom, from whichthe permanent plate is fashioned in the usual manner. In the case of both sets of teeth being missing, a pair of plates are'ar ra'nged against the gums as above stated in coincidprocess carried out as set forth. 1 I" I wish to here state that I do notlimit myself to the exact steps of the method as outlined but that changes may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, and further that, I am only limited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of obtaining impressions, in the manufacture of artificial teeth plates,

. consisting of placing a plastic coated die of hardened wax provided with a'set of teeth, upon the gum and arranging the same to coincide with the teeth on the opposite gum; the impression being obtained in the plastic coating upon firmly biting the sets of teeth together.

2. The method of obtaining an impression, in the manufacture of plates for artificial teeth, consisting of applying a blank bite of soft wax to a die of pliable wax harder than the bite provided with a set of teeth, placing the die on the gum so that the teeth are disposed in mating relation to the matrix thereto, third, placing the whole in the patients, mouth with the matrix against the alveolar ridge of the gum, and

; fourth, allow the patient to bite so that an gum Will be formed in the against the alveolar ridge of the gum, and

fourth, allowing the patient-to bite so that an impression of the gum will be formed in the matrix.

5. As an article of manufacture a plate of a shape to conform to a persons alveolar ridge and provided with a row of artificial teeth, a plastic body supported therein in which the impression of the gum is obtained upon engaging the teeth on a plate with the teeth upon the opposite gum.

6. As an article of manufacture, a plate of a shape to substantially conform to the patients alveolar ridge and formed of a pliable material to enable the plate to be molded around the gum, a row of artificial teeth projecting from one edge of the plate I and adapted to abut the teeth upon the opposite gum upon closing the jaws, and provided with a recess in its opposite face that extends the entire length thereof, a bendable element extending longitudinally within the plate, and a matrix'disposed within the recess in which the impression of the gum is obtained upon applying pressure thereto by manipulating the jaws.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MERRITT RICE.

Witnesses:

L. F. G MBART, ALBERT E. BENLEY. 

